8 cách sử dụng thì Quá khứ tiếp diễn (Past Continuous)

Quá khứ tiếp diễn (Past Continuous) được sử dụng để diễn tả hành động đang xảy ra trong quá khứ tại một thời điểm cụ thể hoặc để diễn tả hành động đang xảy ra trong quá khứ khi một hành động khác xen vào.

Diễn tả một hành động đang diễn ra trong quá khứ tại một thời điểm cụ thể:

• “At 8 PM last night, I was studying for my exam.”
• “While I was cooking dinner, the phone rang.”
• At 6 PM yesterday, I was having dinner with my family.
• Last Saturday, she was attending a conference on renewable energy.
• While I was walking to work this morning, it started raining heavily.
• At midnight, they were dancing at the party.
• When the earthquake struck, I was sleeping soundly.
• At 10 o’clock last night, he was still working in his office.
• During the concert, the singer was performing her latest hits.
• Last summer, we were exploring ancient ruins in Greece.
• While I was reading a book, my cat was playing with a toy beside me.
• At the moment of impact, I was looking out the window and saw the car crash happen.

Diễn tả hai hành động đang xảy ra đồng thời trong quá khứ:

• “She was reading a book while he was watching TV.”
• “They were playing soccer when it started raining.”
• “While she was driving to work, she was listening to music on the radio.”
• “When I was walking in the park, I was enjoying the beautiful scenery.”
• “As they were chatting in the living room, the kids were playing outside.”
• “While he was cooking dinner, she was setting the table.”
• “When they were hiking in the mountains, they were taking pictures of the landscape.”
• “While I was reading a book, my roommate was studying for her exam.”
• “As the sun was setting, we were walking along the beach.”
• “While the guests were mingling at the party, the host was preparing more food in the kitchen.”
• “As the rain was falling outside, they were cozying up by the fireplace.”
• “While he was fixing the car, she was checking the map for directions.”

Diễn tả một hành động đang diễn ra trong quá khứ, nhưng bị gián đoạn bởi một hành động khác:

• “I was sleeping when the alarm went off.”
• “They were talking when the teacher entered the classroom.”
• I was watching a movie when the power went out.
• She was cooking dinner when the smoke alarm suddenly went off.
• They were playing a board game when the doorbell rang.
• He was working on his computer when it crashed unexpectedly.
• We were having a picnic when it started to rain heavily.
• The phone was ringing while I was taking a shower.
• They were driving to the airport when they got a flat tire.
• She was singing in the shower when she slipped and fell.
• I was reading a book when my friend called with urgent news.
• He was jogging in the park when he twisted his ankle.

Sử dụng trong câu hỏi lịch sự hoặc lịch sự hơn:

• “Were you sleeping when I called you?”
• “Was he working late last night?”
• “Were you waiting for me long?”
• “Was she feeling better yesterday?”
• “Were they enjoying the party when you left?”
• “Were you expecting anyone to call?”
• “Was he working on that project late last night?”
• “Were they discussing the proposal during the meeting?”
• “Was she wearing a blue dress at the event?”
• “Were you feeling nervous before the interview?”
• “Was he attending the conference last week?”
• “Were they traveling to Europe this time last year?”

Biểu thị sự ngạc nhiên hoặc không tin vào điều gì đó:

• “I couldn’t believe it! He was actually listening to me.”
• “She was reading a book at the party. Can you imagine?”
• “I couldn’t believe it! She was actually singing in front of everyone at the party.”
• “He was wearing a suit to the beach. Can you imagine?”
• “I walked into the room and saw that they were playing chess together. I was surprised.”
• “She was eating ice cream in the middle of winter. It was so strange!”
• “I opened the door and found him dancing alone in the dark. I was shocked.”
• “They were laughing hysterically during the horror movie. It was unexpected.”
• “I called her name, but she didn’t respond because she was talking to her plants. I was amused.”
• “He was jogging in the park during the thunderstorm. It seemed bizarre.”
• “She was knitting at the rock concert. It was such an odd sight.”
• “They were sunbathing in the snow. I couldn’t believe my eyes!”

Biểu thị một thói quen trong quá khứ:

• “He was always complaining about his job.”
• “She was constantly talking about her travels.”
• She was always talking during class, even when the teacher asked her to be quiet.
• Every morning, he was jogging around the park before heading to work.
• They were constantly arguing about the smallest things, which made their relationship difficult.
• My grandmother was knitting blankets for charity every winter when she was younger.
• He was regularly staying up late to finish his assignments, often sacrificing sleep for good grades.
• When we were kids, we were frequently exploring the woods behind our house, searching for hidden treasures.
• She was regularly attending yoga classes to maintain her flexibility and reduce stress.
• Before his retirement, he was regularly traveling for business, visiting different countries each month.
• They were often volunteering at the local homeless shelter, helping to serve meals and provide support.
• Despite her busy schedule, she was consistently finding time to practice playing the piano every evening.

Biểu thị một ý định đã được định sẵn trong quá khứ:

• “They were planning to visit Europe next summer.”
• “I was thinking about calling you earlier.”
• “She was planning to start her own business before she got offered the job of her dreams.”
• “They were intending to travel to Japan last summer, but the pandemic put their plans on hold.”
• “He was hoping to buy a new car, but unexpected expenses came up.”
• “Before the accident, they were discussing their plans for the weekend.”
• “She was thinking about pursuing a degree in psychology, but then she changed her mind.”
• “We were considering moving to a bigger house, but we decided to renovate our current one instead.”
• “He was dreaming of becoming a famous actor since he was a child.”
• “Before they got married, they were envisioning a future filled with adventure and travel.”
• “She was aiming to finish writing her novel by the end of the year.”
• “They were eagerly anticipating their trip to Europe, which they had been planning for months.”

Biểu thị sự lo lắng, không chắc chắn về tương lai trong quá khứ:

• “She was worried about her exam results.”
• “He was wondering if they would accept his proposal.”
• She was pacing back and forth in the waiting room. She was worried sick about her son’s surgery.
• As the storm approached, we were growing increasingly anxious about whether our house would withstand the strong winds.
• He was constantly checking his phone during the job interview. He was worried that he might have missed an important call.
• While driving through the unfamiliar neighborhood, she was feeling uneasy, unsure if she was going in the right direction.
• They were biting their nails nervously as they waited for the test results to come back from the doctor’s office.
• I was feeling uneasy about leaving my dog alone for the first time while I went on vacation. I kept imagining all the things that could go wrong.
• The dark clouds were looming overhead, and I was starting to worry that our outdoor picnic would be ruined by the impending rain.
• She was constantly glancing at her watch during the meeting, uncertain if she would make it to her next appointment on time.
• While waiting for the job offer, he was feeling apprehensive about whether he had performed well enough during the interview.
• As the deadline for the project approached, we were growing increasingly concerned about whether we would be able to complete it on time.

Còn nhiều thì ngữ pháp nữa tại bài viết: Chia động từ trong tiếng Anh như thế nào?